“Come on, we have to go.” Vinny was solemn and resolved as he wrapped his damaged hand in his t-shirt and picked up her backpack from the floor. He walked out the door first and made a quick look at the parking lot where Gloria’s car and his bike still remained. There was no one in sight in the soft purple light of the rising sun. “It’s clear,” he called back at her. “But be quick. They’re on their way, I’m sure.”
Gloria made a move to grab the backpack from his hand and run, but he caught her one last time. Without a struggle, she relented as she fell straight to his arms and took in the sweetness of their last kiss. She pulled away as her mind searched for the perfect last words. But she came up blank. There was no word that could take this pain she was feeling away. There was nothing she could do to make this right or to fix their wrong turns.
Instead, she ran to her car not allowing herself to look back at where Vinny stood. He watched helplessly as her beater pulled out of the parking lot and headed out on to the empty roads. She had managed to flee. Now it was his turn to fight.
CHAPTER NINE
Hot, burning tears streamed down Gloria’s face. She had managed to run so many times in her life, but this time, she was actually leaving behind something of value. Vinny had managed to change her entire life in the few short weeks she had known him. And before she got a chance to explore it, before she got a chance to work it out, she was forced to run. And while she always was prepared with a plan, this time, she was lost and drowning without a net in sight.
Her car took her down all of the familiar streets of her small town. She passed the mini-mart where she did her grocery shopping, the boutique that supplied her with her beauty essentials, the house of her bandmate Jerry, and through the town’s main street where many of her past blackmail clients lived and worked. And, of course, she couldn’t say goodbye to this life without paying one last visit to the place she called home.
She knew better than to park in the lot visible to the street. It was early, but Vinny had called in the troops. And they were either out hunting for her or heading after the Devils. And both gangs frequented Jackman’s too frequently for it to be place of refuge for her. Still, she wanted to sit in her car and take a second to let the memories wash over her.
It was hard not to be nostalgic. This was the place she sang her heart out each and every week on the dusty, creaky wooden stage. It was where she learned how to deal out business transactions and force men and women to do her bidding by acquiring information. She knew how to be confident and brave because of Jackman’s and she had gotten her first taste of power and control just by working there.
Gloria got out of her car and took in the air. The weather had changed dramatically, making it much warmer than before. The heat helped the smell of the old wood and hard liquor waft in her direction. She took a deep breath in and spun around to see the full bar in view. From the corner of her eye, a red van caught her eye.
Jordan’s van was still in the parking lot. The last time she had seen him, he was laying out his plan to move back home with his uncle. He was begging her to come with, to start over in a safe space with him. She had been there for him when he was desperate, now he was offering her a life raft, but she couldn’t take it.
The thought of him coming back to their shared apartment dawned on him. She couldn’t bear to let him think she was taken, or worse, by the broken doors, shattered window, and blood stains. Gloria had to warn him, so she took out her notebook and wrote down a quick explanation. She then headed back to where the van was parked and opened the door with the spare key she kept for safekeeping for him. She set the key and the paper on the driver’s seat. But before she could shut the door and turn around, the sound of a little squeal and the sight of four bare feet startled her.
“Jordan?” Gloria called out.
“Gloria?” Jordan was floored at the sight of his roommate, bandmate, and manager. He had just finished making love to Casey and was soundly napping away when Casey let out an embarrassed warning shout. The couple covered themselves with their discarded clothes and the few blankets Jordan used to conceal his band equipment.
“I’m sorry, kid. I didn’t, uh, know. I just wanted to leave you a note about the place in case you went back.” Gloria wasn’t sure how much to tell him in this sensitive time. She was embarrassed enough at finding Casey and Jordan in that state as it was. It wasn’t exactly time to tell him that she had trashed their old place and was now on the run from the motorcycle clubs.
Jordan opened the door to the back seat and ran to the front driver’s side of the van as he tossed on a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. “What’s going on? What is happening?” Jordan could see the look of fear on Gloria’s face and the way she had stammered back. Something was very off about her.
“The house…we had to trash it a bit. You shouldn’t go back unless you have to. The Horsemen are there now—or at least, they will be. And they’ll be looking for me. Whatever they ask you or say, you haven’t seen me. Got it?”
“Yeah, of course. I’m out of town in a day or so anyways. I got my uncle to change my bus ticket…and get another one for Casey in exchange for her babysitting the kids for a couple of days to pay her way.” Jordan was smiling from ear to ear. Gloria had long watched Jordan fall in lust and love with the Tavern’s young bartender. She had her choice of any man, but Jordan had clearly won out.
“That’s great. But be safe. Watch out for her, and make sure she understands the plan.”
Jordan interrupted her as he offered, “You can still come with, Gloria. Take that money in your envelopes and just start a new life with us. We can still watch out for each other.”
“That’s sweet kid, but I’m trouble. It follows me and I can’t stay away either. I can’t put that on you or Casey. You guys get out of this town and go off and make tons of babies. That’s all I ask of you.” She was sincere: if anyone deserved to escape off into the sunset, it was Jordan and Casey.
Jordan looked at her. This wasn’t Gloria. She was not one to give in. “What is going on, Gloria? What is happening?”
“You know I can’t tell you. If you knew, you’d be part of this.” She shook her head, trying to brush him off.
“Does it have to do with the Smith’s family getting broken into last night and Junior hiding out at Cattleman’s Ranch with the owner?”
What he said struck her. She, of course, knew about the Smith family. With the bar being full of locals and bikers, she was not surprised that the news had gotten around fast in the circles. But Junior being found alive and well was something totally new. She had not heard and she doubted Vinny had known either. It was not something he would keep from her.
She tried to hold back her pressing questions, “What happened to Junior? Why is he hiding out?”
“No one knows. Casey says the Devils are keeping him in a safe house for now. He knows something about who murdered one of their people and it’s one of the Horsemen. By the sounds of it, it was the same Horsemen who tried to take down Junior’s family. And the Horsemen are talking like they are gearing up for a war at Landcaster’s Quarry.” His voice trailed off as he thought to himself.
“What do you mean? Why would you think that?” Gloria knew Jordan had developed listening and eavesdropping skills in the time he worked with her. Combined with his girlfriend’s knowledge, the two had more intel on the town than just about anyone else outside of her.
“Before Casey closed up, she started hearing word that the Horsemen were going the opposite direction of where the Devils were hiding Junior and were starting to stake out Landcaster’s Quarry. But the odd part is that no one mentioned guarding Junior. Both clubs are just headin’ out to the Quarry, itchin’ for a fight…”
“I’d suspect we’re both gettin’ outta here at the right time, then. Ain’t worth the danger anymore.” Gloria couldn’t help but feel her heart beat fast as she took in everything Jordan told her about the two clubs, Junior’s location, and the impending battle that
was about to go down. The taste of new information was always fresh and juicy.
Jordan looked his old boss up and down. He knew her and how she couldn’t resist a secret or two. And now that she was hanging with the Horsemen and playing around with their ranks, she was even more at risk of going too far. He warned her, “Gloria, if you’re about to do somethin’ stupid—don’t. It’s not worth it. You’re just gonna wind up dead like that Devils guy who got himself involved.”
“I’m okay. I’ll be all right. I always land on my feet. Now, I’ve got to get going, and so do you. Get you and Casey out of here and keep away from the apartment, you hear?” She watched as Jordan nodded and then headed back to her car.
The sun was now shining down upon her and everything was so much clearer. She had the perfect light to open her notebook once more and take notes on what Jordan had just told her. She added a row to her list with the name of “Smith, Junior” in the name column. While her time as a blackmailer may be over, she was still in the habit of collecting secrets. After all, she never knew if it would come in handy in the future.
With one last look at the Tavern she loved and the boy she cared for like a brother, she, once again, drove off into the unknown. This time, there wasn’t anything to look back at. She only had her dangerless future and the open road in front of her.
CHAPTER TEN
“What are we waitin’ for, boss?” Terry was growing antsy. He had been at the post for almost four hours now and there had not been one sign of their mark or his accompanies. It was just a rundown shack that the workers used as their meeting space before heading out to the dig site of the day.
“We don’t wanna go in too hot too fast,” Benni said softly. “Either that little bitch is comin’ out, or we’re goin’ in—but either way, we gotta do this right.” He understood Terry’s point—there wasn’t anything visible standing between them and busting down Junior’s hideout. But the Devils knew they were after Junior; they would almost certainly be waiting, wanting more blood.
All of Benni’s hopes were in his crew: twenty-five of them in all, armed with bats, knives, and axes. They certainly weren’t well trained; they were just strongmen with the grit and mindset to kill a man. Most had proven their worth by taking a man or two down already in the name of the Horsemen. Some were bodyguards; others were just the men Benni trusted to stand with him in a showdown like this...all except Vinny. Benni watched from the back of the flatbed truck where four of them laid flat under a tarp. Vinny rested his head at the opposite side with a look of complete of disinterest. His mind was clearly somewhere else -- something that was never good when you needed to be fired up and ready.
For a guy whose woman had just been taken out by a rival gang member, he also seemed quite dispassionate. Benni knew that if anyone touched his old lady or even just one of his side girls, he’d be the first one with a bat and a knife. But Vinny just lounged back against the red painted door waiting for instructions like a child would wait to begin a test.
“You.” Benni called out to Vinny, summoning him from his far off thoughts, “What do you think?”
Vinny twisted and turned his head tiredly. “I dunno, man. Maybe give it an hour?” Vinny knew that Benni was focusing on him because of how out of place he was compared to the others.
The rest of the boys were on something or just riding high from the terror that was about to come. They itched wildly and were talking rapidly. Most were pretty careless about the whole thing, as well. Scott, one of the oldest, had just hopped out of the back without taking a look around first to take a piss. It was sloppy enough. If it were Vinny in charge, he would be howling at them to get their shit together. But this was Benni’s crew and he was just there to follow orders and put his knife in a body if need be.
Benni crawled towards where Vinny laid with his legs stretched out. Once he made it to the end of the truck, he asked, “You wanna tell me what the fuck is going on with you?”
Vinny couldn’t give him the honest answer even if he wanted to. It was, after all, Benni who put him here. If he would have just let the Gloria situation drop, if he would have let Junior run back to the Devils like Vinny had, this would have gone away.
“Sorry, Benni. I’m just eager to get out there and find Gloria.” Vinny quickly took out the switchblade from his jean pocket and tossed the knife back and forth between his palms. He wanted to give the impression he was bloodthirsty, but he looked more meditative than anything.
“The boys checked in again this morning. Ain’t no sign of her. They said she musta put up a fight. Blood and everything all around.” Benni eyed Vinny for some sense of recognition or appropriate response. Everything was so robotic and planned. There was something there, something Benni couldn’t put his finger on. But the more he talked to Vinny, the more he studied his every move, he was starting to suspect that there was much more to Gloria.
“Yeah. It was pretty bad. She’s gone by now—if they haven’t killed her and buried her like we did to Carl.” All Vinny wanted to do was bury her in his mind. He wasn’t going to get her, let alone find her. To him, her death would be welcome. At least he would have closure. Her being out there on the road searching for a new identity without him knowing where to find her or how to find her was killing him slowly.
The answer, his gruesome response, was what Benni needed for now. He slipped back to his spot at the far end of the truck where he could get a better view of the windows of the white work shack. His body repositioned itself with the binoculars in hand. He was ready for another four hours if need be.
Vinny, on the other hand, was starting to stir. The phone in his pocket that he had left on vibrate was going off like crazy. He wasn’t the kind of guy to get many calls or messages, especially not one after another. The surge of pulses coming from it was getting his hopes up that it was her, though he knew better. It had been over twelve hours. She would have come back by now if that were her plan.
Still, he whispered to his neighbor in arms next to him that he was going to head outside for a second to smoke. Sliding out on his back, he exited the rear of the truck and quickly ducked down around the side. Once he had cleared the tree lines and mostly out of sight from the truck, he turned his attention to his phone. An unknown email address had contacted him. The subject line read: GET OUT OF QUARRY
“NOT AT THE QUARRY… JR @ CRANCH… DEVILS ATTACK COMING… GET OUT NOW.”
Vinny dropped his phone into his pants pocket and ran towards the truck, not caring anymore to be careful. As he hit the treeline, a horrific sound rang up around him. It was the roar of motorcycle engines in the distance. Lots of them.
Vinny had no time to think. He hopped into the front seat of the truck and searched for the keys the drop off man had left in the glove compartment. As he sat up straight to start the ignition, he watched as at least fifty black bikes came into view of his rearview window.
The truck stalled once. Then twice. The fastest bike was nearly three hundred feet from where the truck and the van with the other ten men sat. Vinny said a short prayer as he turned the key once more. A dull hiss started and the engine turned as Vinny stepped on the gas. Passing the white van the gang had stolen months ago from a bakery, he honked wildly hoping that someone would come to attention and hit the road behind him.
Vinny heard a knock on the back window. He couldn’t be sure if it was gravel or bullets, but he turned anyways. He slid it open wide as Benni yelled through the glass through the sound of the blowing wind and the tires screeching under dirt and rocks.
“What the fuck are you doing, man?! Go back! We don’t leave a fight…EVER!” Benni was completely bewildered.
Vinny was never the guy to back down from a fight no matter how unfair or how one-sided it may be. But now he wasn’t just backing down, he was running, and he was taking his club with him. He kept one eye on the road, one eye on the motorcycles quickly catching up to him, and his hands tight on the brown leather steering wheel as he answered, “Junior’s
not there. Just got a text before I heard their bikes. He’s at the Ranch, Benni. This was a setup!”
“Motherfucker!” Benni cursed, crouching down again. He quickly called in more men to meet them at Cattlemen’s.
But Vinny could not wait for commands this time. He knew that the only way that this would be over is if he managed to get to Junior before the Devils realized he knew where to look next. First, he had to lose them. “Benni!” Vinny used the back of his hand to knock on the glass to get his president’s attention. “Tell the boys you’re callin’ up to head back to the quarry and fight.”
“Why? If Junior ain’t ther—”
“We need a distraction, or they’re just gonna follow us to Cattlemen’s—and that’ll turn into a fuckin’ massacre. Plus, we still won’t have Junior.”
Benni took a moment to go through the plan. It was risky, but it would be worth it if they managed to get Junior out of Cattlemen’s and back to their place. “Okay, I get you.” Benni resigned, “I’ll tell the van to stay put and tell the rest o’ the guys to head there. We’ll send ten back to headquarters and hold it down in case they go there, too.”
Ride Me Hard (Black Horsemen MC Book 2) Page 7
